Most Famous/Favorite Hills

[auscyclefan94]

Mur de huy or Kapelmuur, I changed my vote.

 

[Moondance]

meh Kapelmuur is easier than Oude Kwaremont, it's like riding a highway vs a road with holes in it

I have also ridden both, and I agree with your assessment, although I disagree that the difference is as big as you suggest... But the question was which is your favorite, not which is the most difficult, and the Muur takes on the basis of the spectacle we have been treated to

 

[luckyboy]

I loved the Alto de Aia used in 2010's al Pais Vasco, the stage where Txurruka fell and Purito won.

Oh yeah that was great.

Voted for the Muur though. Just because.

 

[dlwssonic]

Sorry guys i accidentally put the mur de huy as a second mende. asking the admins to help me change it.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I have also ridden both, and I agree with your assessment, although I disagree that the difference is as big as you suggest... But the question was which is your favorite, not which is the most difficult, and the Muur takes on the basis of the spectacle we have been treated to

it was a hyperbole But I mainly ride cobbles à la paterberg(pretty good) and Oude Kwaremont and Koppenberg. I find it impossible to go out of the saddle on the steep parts of the last 2 but it was no trouble to do so on Kapelmuur...

That's the reason I voted Kwaremont and not Muur, although the Muur has givven us more spectacle, and is an amazing thing !

 

[Alanfresco]

My first proper mountain was Kirkstone Pass in the Lakes but my favourite is Els Angels near Girona.

 

[dolophonic]

Els Angles is a great climb..

The Mur de Huy is amazing and brutal

But... The Cote De La Saint Nicholas is my favorite because it is very hard and it is in such a crazy location right in the middle o a very run down Liege, very crazy kids and locals. Unique atmosphere.Lucky to have done the Liege .B. Liege sportive this year. Nothing like it anywhere else.. get some.

 

[Echoes]

I voted for the Poggio, but could have voted for the Madonna Del Ghisallo under "Other."

Obviously not the most famous, but my favorite.

Not the most famous ???

These two climbs have been the key climbs of their respective classics for decades. Poggio since 1960. Ghisallo since the 30's, though not every year. And these two classics have been top classics since WWII, unlike the Belgian classics.

These are precisely the two most famous climbs in classics.


Kapelmuur is very telegenic but cakewalk. Koppenberg is hard but "controversial". And the organizers of the late Dwars door België have scrapped the Côte du beau site.

St Nicolas is my least favourite and it should be scrapped.

The Redoute is a great climb but nothing compared to Stockeu or Haute Levée.

Mende is too French. Though my favourite might the Hameau du Buat section of Paris-Roubaix. (6%)


Also love the Triple Mur Monty (Lustin), a killer. Allegedly the 5th hardest climb in Belgium. But no big race takes it. Only the GP de Wallonie but ... in a descent.

Profile: http://www.climbbybike.com/fr/ascension.asp?col=Triple-Mur-de-Monty&qryMountainID=1126#profile
Footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfrvvJnnaas

 

[L'arriviste]

Also love the Triple Mur Monty (Lustin), a killer. Allegedly the 5th hardest climb in Belgium. But no big race takes it. Only the GP de Wallonie but ... in a descent. ...

Nice area around Lustin. Didn't know of the existence of this climb until now though!

 

[The_Z_man]

Not the most famous ???

These two climbs have been the key climbs of their respective classics for decades. Poggio since 1960. Ghisallo since the 30's, though not every year. And these two classics have been top classics since WWII, unlike the Belgian classics.

These are precisely the two most famous climbs in classics.

I put in my last sentence because I was expecting the opposite reaction.

 

[dolophonic]

You could include the Manayunk wall for the Statesiders... its a good climb.

Sierra Grade from the TOC is also hard and steep.

Scrap St Nicholas.. what happened?did get your bike nicked over there?

 

[dlwssonic]

You could include the Manayunk wall for the Statesiders... its a good climb.

Sierra Grade from the TOC is also hard and steep.

Scrap St Nicholas.. what happened?did get your bike nicked over there?

isnt st nicholas famous. sorry i dont know these us climbs as they are not very famous.

 

[El Pistolero]

Roche aux Faucons is missing by the way. Only recently added in LBL(2008), but it has decided LBL in every edition so far!

In 30 years it will have a bigger name.

 

[dlwssonic]

Roche aux Faucons is missing by the way. Only recently added in LBL(2008), but it has decided LBL in every edition so far!

In 30 years it will have a bigger name.

I actually wanted to add it but couldnt find any space. But its too new IMO

 

[Echoes]

Nice area around Lustin. Didn't know of the existence of this climb until now though!

I'm living round there. I've climbed it twice and thought I was gonna end like Tom Simpson. The end is really hard and frustrating because you see the houses and think it's over but the most difficult part is yet to come. There's a dangerous turn round the top. Cherel crashed there at the GP de Wallonie a few years ago.

If you wanna climb the Ventoux one day, this climb is the best prep for us Belgians, I think. It's very famous round here !!

Scrap St Nicholas.. what happened?did get your bike nicked over there?

Haven't climbed it. In Liège's route, it's MUCH too close to finish and the riders are just waiting for it, most of the time. Just like the Mur de Huy. A race should be strengthened at the 2/3rd or 3/4th of its route.

This would mean Liège Bastogne should become a true Ardennes race again, with Ardennes climbs (Wanne/Stockeu/Haute Levée trilogy) being the deciders. St Nicolas is not in the Ardennes.

And no, dlwssonic, St Nicolas isn't famous. It's only been added since 1998. Very recent.

 

[L'arriviste]

I'm living round there.

Lucky you. Nice bit of the world up there above the Maas-Meuse!

From my country of birth, most cyclists know the following, all of which have featured in past editions of the Tour of Britain:

Hardknott Pass

Rosedale Chimney Bank

The Struggle (to Kirkstone Pass) - this shows the climb from about halfway. The top is on the left of the picture as the road follows the line of the stone wall. I think it was the 1992 Tour of Britain when, having ridden all the way up this, I was most upset to then watch the peloton crawl up it en masse on a go-slow protest due to dangerous conditions.

... also Ramsbottom Rake (not shown because the photos don't really show the gradient which reaches up to 30%!).

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Lucky you. Nice bit of the world up there above the Maas-Meuse!

From my own country, most cyclists know the following, all of which have featured in past editions of the Tour of Britain:

Hardknott Pass

that is one amazing view!

 

[dolophonic]

And an amazing climb.!

 

[L'arriviste]

And an amazing climb.!

Never ridden it myself but I do know that the hardest sections, happily enough, are at the top.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

A couple more that I like:

Aia (already mentioned)

Gouveia

Valdepeñas de Jaén

Steile Wand von Meerane

 

[Lanark]

A couple more that I like:

Steile Wand von Meerane

Wow, that's a beautifull pic. What race is that?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Wow, that's a beautifull pic. What race is that?

Probably the (now departed) Sachsen-Rundfahrt there. It used to be a regular stop off for the Course de la Paix.

I'm also partial to the Mammolshainer Berg:

 

[jobiwan]

Steile Wand von Meerane

Those brave few souls riding on the cobbles!

What a great picture!

 

[Bavarianrider]

Citadelle in Briancon. Not even close!

 

[Bavarianrider]

Those brave few souls riding on the cobbles!

What a great picture!

Nice, how long is it actually? Gradient?